More than 259 suspected cases of zika virus in Tonga
Radio Tonga reports there is a possibility that their unborn babies can be affected by the virus.
Tonga’s Minister of Health, Saia Piukala has told Parliament the zika virus is believed to have been spread by five Tongans who arrived in the country last week.
As of Wednesday last week, a total of 259 people were referred to the Ministry of Health with symptoms related to zika virus. The Ministry said 35 specimens were still away overseas for analysis.
Dr Piukala has called on Australia, New Zealand and World Health Organisation (WHO) to assist in destroying mosquito breeding areas.
He urged members of the public to rest and drink a lot water if they feel that they have contracted the zika virus.
The virus is spread by the same type of mosquito that carries the dengue virus.
Challenging the spread of the zika virus is not the only health threat facing the island kingdom.
Tongan Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva expressed his concern with Tonga’s rating as the most over-weight country in the world.
He said issue that our life expectancy had also dropped.
The PM believed that if these things were happening while we were boasting to have a high literacy rate and had produced a high rate of PhDs, masters and professors, then “we can’t be that smart.”
The thought that our life expectancy has dropped and now our intelligence is declining, opened the door for members to voice their conviction that the situation had worsened since ‘Akilisi and his government came into power more than a year ago .
Pacnews
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